Automatic mine-car stop.



U. U. CARR.

AUTOMATIC MINE GAR STOP.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.21, 1908.

Patented Apr. 6, 1909.

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U. U. CARR.

AUTOMATIC MINE GAR STOP.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.21, 1908. I 91 7,540. Patented Apr. 6, 1909.

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UHEL U. CARR, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC MINE-GAR STOP.

Application filed October 21, 1908.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 6, 1909.

Serial No. 458,851.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, UHEL U. CARR, a resident of Pittsburg, in the countyof Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Automatic Mine-Car Stops, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for automatically stopping andholding approaching cars so that they may be caused to advance atintervals, as to a dump or to a mine cage.

Usually, the cars pass to the dump or cage over a gravity approach, andthe primary object is to provide for stopping and holding each car at asuitable distance, with means located within convenient access of thedump operator or cage tender for releasing each car and permitting it toadvance with suificient momentum, resulting from the inclination of theapproach, to move the previously emptied car off the dump or cage andtake its place. An automatically operating check or stop is thusprovided, past which a car cannot move until released by the operator,so that the dump or cage is fully protected, and the not infrequentaccidents resulting from the premature advance of the cars is avoided.Furthermore, the cars are caused to advance with mechanical accuracy andeach time under momentum sufficient to insure its proper positioning onthe dump or cage and the concurrent displacement of the emptied carahead. "Under the present practice, one or more men are required forcontrolling the advance of the cars. The im roved apparatus dispenseswith this manua service, thereby decreasing the operating expense andgreatly increasing the efficiency with which the work is performed.

A characteristic of the invention is the maintaining of the car holdingdevices normally out of car engaging position, while the operating meansis maintained normally in position to be engaged and operated by a car,with the result that the force spring means in the present embodimentwhich opposes movement of the holding devices into car engaging positionoperates to move said devices out of holding position and permit theheld car to advance, such force also operating to maintain the actuatingmeans normally in position to be operated. Hence it is characteristic ofthe invention that the stop means is moved to car holding position bythe moving cars, in the adaptation here shown this being accomplished byeach car as it approaches the same.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1,

taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 3, is a view partly in side elevation andpartly in vertical section of a portion of a tipple a proach equippedwith the improved mec anism, showing the latter in normal position. Fig.2 is a similar view with the mechanism set in car-holding position. Fig.3 is a view in top plan.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates longitudinal timbers and 3 thefloor of a tipple approach, on which the track rails 4 are laid. Atopposite sides of the track and extending longitudinally thereof are therock shafts 5, each mounted in suitable bearings 5 on a timber 6, thelatter supporting shaft 5 in about the plane of the car axles. Se curedto each shaft is a projection or horn 7, held normally in upturnedposition but adapted to be turned inward to engage the wheel tread inabout the plane of the wheel axle, as shown in Fig. 2. Each of shafts 5has longitudinal play in its bearings and is equipped with a spring 8for opposing movement of horns 7 with the car but permitting them toyield in that direction and thus compensate the shock resulting from acar ongaging the horns, especially when under considerable momentum.Journaled on longitudinal timbers 2 is the transverse rock shaft 9having arms 10 connected by links 11 to arms 12, one of the latterprojecting from each of shafts 5. Arm 12 may be feathered on the shaftand arranged between two of the shaft bearings 5 so that the shaft mayhave a longitudinal compensating movement above referred to.

Arranged transversely of the track is a second transverse rock shaft 13having a depending arm 14, connected by an adjustable link 15 to arm 16on shaft 9. Secured to shaft 13 are the inclined and depressible arms 17which are in close proximity to rails 4: and are held normally raisedand in inclined position, as in Fig. 1.. A rod 18 extends from arm 16through an abutment 1.9, with a coiled spring 20 confined on theextended part of the rod and bearing against the abutment, as shown.This spring operates to hold the parts normally in position shown inFig. 1, with depressible arm 17 raised for engagement with the wheels ofan approaching car, and with horns 7 elevated out of car holdingposition.

A depending latch 21, pivotally supported at its upper end, is notchedat 21 to engage a pin 22 carried by arm 22 mounted on shaft 9. Anoperating rod 23 extends from the latch, and a spring 2 1- exertspressure on the rod and causes the latch to bear against pin 22, so thatwhen the mechanism is oscillated by an approaching car in opposition tospring 20 whic 1 results in the raising of arm 22, pin 22 is engaged bythe latch notch 21 and the mechanism is held. in car retaining position,as in Fig. 2. Trip operating rod 23 may extend to any suitable pointwhere it is desired to effect the release of the car. For feeding carsto a tipple, it may be operated through the medium of a bell-crank lever25 to which may be secured the foot depressed stem or treadle 26, withinconvenient reach of the operator. Obviously, the release mechanism maybe variously embodied.

In operation, the wheels of the approaching car depress arms 17 andoscillate rock shafts 13 and 9 and so turn shafts 5 as to project horns7 into wheel-engaging position. At the same time the upward move ment ofarm '22 permits latch 21 to operate and hold the mechanism in setposition in opposition to spring 20, compressed by the movements justdescribed. The car is thus securely held, as shown in Fig. 2, until theoperator is ready ror it to advance, whereupon it is only necessary todepress treadle 26, thereby moving rod 23 in opposition to spring 24,and retracting latch 21, when the mechanism is free to respond to theforce of spring 20 which moves the parts from 10 clted position to thatshown in Fig. 1, raising the horns 7 and permitting the car to driftonto the dump or cage, at the same time setting arms 17 in position tobe operated by the next a preaching car.

Whi e I have here shown and described the invention in its preferredembodiment, and while it is designed primarily for controlling thepassage of cars to a tipple, the apparatus may be variously constructedand used without departing from the spirit and. scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim 1. The combination of ear holding means normally out ofoar-holding position, and movable car actuated means operating whenmoved by an approacl'iing car to place the holding means in car-holdingposition.

2. The combination of wheel-holding devices movable to and from.wheel-engaging position, a wheel actuated device, and an operativeconnection between the wheel actuated device and the holding device,whereby when the former is engaged by the wheel of an approaching carthe holding devices are moved into wheel-engaging position.

3. The combination of Wheel-holding devices movable into and out of thepath of car wheels, a wheel depressed device, and an operativeconnection between the depressing de vice and the holding deviceswhereby when the former is depressed the latter are moved intowheel-engaging position. i

The combination of car-holding means movable to and from car-engagingposition, means for nntintaining the holding means normally out ofcanengaging position, and a movable actuating device normally in carengz-iging position. i

5. The cembinatiou ol' wheel-holding devices movable laterally to andfrom wheelengaging position, means for holding the devices normally cutof wheel-engaging position, a movable device held normally in the pathof an approaching car and operatively connected to the holding devicesfor moving them to wheel-engaging position on the approach of a car.

6. The combination movable car hold.- means, means maintaining the samenormally out of car holding position, car actuated means operating tomove the holding means into holding position, and means for releasingthe holding means from car holding position.

7. The como nation of movable car holding means, car actuated meanspositioned to be operated by car when approaching the holding means torplacing the latter in car holding position, and means for releasing thesame from holding position.

In mechanism for holding cars and feeding them in succession to a tippleor cage, the combination of holding means movable to and from carholding position, car actuated means for moving the same to holdingposition, and means operated independently of the tipple or cage formoving the holding means out of car holding position.

9. The combination of car-holding means n'iovable to and, fromcar-engaging position, means opposing movement thereof into carholdingposition and operating normally to move and hold the same out ofcar-holding position, car-engaging means and connected thereto formoving the same into carengag ing position, a trip device operating tomaintain the holding means in canengaging position, and means forreleasing the trip device to pern'zitthe holding means to assume itsnormal position out of engagement with the car.

10. The combination ol' car-engaging devices movahle to and fromoar-holding position, spring means maintaining the devices normally outof cam-engaging position, car actuated means and connected thereto andwhen engaged by a car operating to move the holding means intocar-engaging position in opposition to the spring means, trip meansoperating to maintain the holding devices in car-engaging position, andmeans for releasing the trip means.

11. The combination of car-engaging devices movable to and fromcar-holding position, 'ar actuated means connected to the holdingdevices and when engaged by an approaching car operating to move theholding devices into car engaging position, and means located distantfrom the holding devices for causing the holding devices to move fromcar-engaging position.

12. In a mine car stop, the combination of a rock shaft, an arm thereon.normally raised 1 in the path of the mine car, carholding means movableto and from car-engaging position, and a connection between the rockshaft and holding means for moving the latter into car engaging positionwnen the shaft is rocked by depression of the normally raised arm.

13. The combination of a rock shaft extending longitudinally of a cartrack, a carengaging projection on the shaft, a movable device in thepath of and adapted to be deflected by a car, an operative connectionbetween said device and the rock shaft for oscillating the latter toplace said projection in car-engaging position when said device isdeflected, and spring means opposing deflection of said device andoscillation of the shaft.

l l. The combination of a shaft extending longitudinally of the cartrack, a car-engaging device projecting from the shaft, an armprojecting from the shaft for oscillating the same, a transverse rockshaft having an arm connected to the arm of the first mentioned shaft, aspring opposing oscillation of the rock shaft, car deflected meansconnected to the transverse rock shaft for oscillating the same inopposition to the spring, a trip device for holding the parts in theposition into which they are moved in opposition to the spring, and tripreleasing means.

15. The combination of rock shafts outside of and above the plane of thetrack rails, a wheel-engaging projection on each shaft, a transverserock shaft, arms on the rock snaft connected to said. laterallyprojecting arms, a spring for opposing oscillation of the rock shaft, asecond transverse rock shaft in advance of the first mentioned rockshaft with said shafts provided with connected arms, normally raisedwheel-engaging arms on the second rock shaft and adapted to be depressedby the wheels of a car and thereby oscillate both rock shafts inopposition to said spring, a trip device holding the parts in theposition in which they are thus oscillated with the said wheel-engagingdevices projected to engage the car Wheels, and trip releasing meansextending along the track and adapted to be operated at a distance.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

UHEL U. CARR.

Witnesses L. M. SMALLEY, 0. WI CHANDLER.

